Game



Patented July 30, 1935 PATENT OFFICE,

GAME Louis Marx, New York, N. Y.

Application October 14, 1933, Serial No. 693,600

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a toy or game, and more particularly to a toy comprising a ball and bat interconnected by an elastic thread.

A known toy or game comprises a ball and bat interconnected by an elastic thread. The ball is struck with the bat, forcing the same away until the elastic thread arrests its motion and pulls the same back toward the bat, this being successfully repeated for a time dependent upon the skill with which the bat is manipulated. To learn the game is exceedingly difficult, particularly with a long thread between the ball and bat, but on the other hand the greatest enjoyment is attained by a skillful exponent of the game with a long thread between the ball and bat. For the uninitiated to learn to use the game with a long thread is, however, unbelievably trying and dlffiClllt.

The primary object of my invention is to facilitate learning of the game, and with this object in view I provide the bat with means for adjusting the length of the elastic thread. The game may then be practiced with a very short thread and this may be gradually lengthened as skill is acquired, until the full length of the thread is employed. This feature is also of value in permitting shortening of the thread when using the game indoors where there may be insufficient room for full use of the thread. A further and more detailed object of my invention is to prevent excessive wear on the thread.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the game elements and their relation one to the other as hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a toy or game embodying features of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a partially sectioned elevation of the same.

Referring to the drawing, the game comprises a ball I 2, a bat l4, and an elastic thread it interconnecting the ball and bat. The ball may be constructed in a Variety of ways, this construction forming no part of the present invention. Onev example is a solid, soft or porous rubber ball. The elastic thread It may and preferably does consist of a slender strand of rubber. The bat I4 is generally fiat and greatly resemblesa bat such as is commonly employed in a form of table tennis known under the trade name Ping Pong.

In accordance with my invention the game is improved by the provision of means l8 affording ready adjustment 'of the effective length of the elastic thread it. As here exemplified, the. means It consists simply of a stationary post or knob shaped somewhat like a capstan barrel to which theend of the elastic thread is secured and about which the unused portion of the thread may be wound, thereby shortening the remaining or used portion of the thread. The post I8 may be secured to the back face of the bat bya nail 26 or cement, or, more preferably, both.

The thread it passes through a hole in the center of the bat to the ball I2. To prevent excessive wear on the portion of the thread passing through the bat, the bat is preferably provided with a metallic eyelet 22, this eyelet forming a smooth continuous inner surface and exposed flanges which permit movement of the'thread in a free and frictionless manner as the thread stretches and contracts during the playing of the game. The eyelet 22 serves the additional function in the case of a laminated bat, of helping hold the laminations together. In the present case, for example, the bat is made up of central 7 and side laminations Z4 and 26 glued together, with the grain of the wood extending approximately at right angles in order to prevent warping of the bat. The eyelet 22, of course, passes through all three laminations and is flanged over the side laminations, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. The bat is completed by the provision of a handle preferably made up of semicylindrical members 28 secured on each side of the flat part of the bat. The handle may, of course, be ridged or grooved, as is shown at 36, to afford a better grip.

In practice, the bulk of the elastic thread is wound about the capstan post [8 until they ball I2 is positioned only a short'distance from the bat. The ball is then struck with the bat and the movement practiced until mastered. A single turn of the thread is then unwound from the capstan post and the game further practiced with slower timing, and so on, the thread being lengthened step by step in this manner until the full length of the thread is employed. It will be understood that at each length of thread control of the ball is sought while striking the same sidewardly as well as downwardly, and it is this which largely adds to the difficulty and interest of the game.

t is believed that the mode of constructing and using my invention,.as well as the many advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will further be understood that while I have shown and described my invention in preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A game comprisinga bat having a hole therethrough, a ball, an elastic thread interconnecting the ball and bat and passing through said hole, and a post on the opposite side of the bat about which the elastic thread may be wound.

2. A game comprising a bat generally resembling a Ping Pong bat but having a hole through the center thereof, a soft rubber ball, an elastic thread interconnecting the ball and bat and passing through said hole, and a capstanlike post on the opposite side of the bat about which the elastic thread may be wound.

3. A game comprising a laminated bat having an eyelet through the center thereof holding the laminations together and forming a smoothwalled aperture therein, a ball, an elastic thread interconnecting the ball and bat and passing through said eyelet, and means mounted on the opposite side of the bat and to which the elastic thread is secured, said means serving for adjusting the effective length of the thread.

' 4. A game comprising a bat having an eyelet through the center thereof forming a smoothwalled aperture therein, a ball, an elastic thread interconnecting the ball and bat and passing through said eyelet, and a post on the opposite side of the bat about which the elastic thread may be wound.

5. A game comprising a laminated bat having an eyelet through the center thereof holding the laminations together and forming a smoothwalled aperture therein, a ball, an elastic thread interconnecting the ball and bat and passing through said eyelet, and a post on the opposite side of the bat about which the elastic thread may be Wound.

6. A game comprising a bat generally resembling a Ping Pong hat but having an eyelet through the center thereof forming a smoothwalled aperture therein, a soft rubber ball, an

elastic thread interconnecting the ball and bat and passing through said eyelet, and a capstanlike post on the opposite side of the bat about vwhich the elastic thread may be wound.

LOUIS MARX. 

